Question:
Is it ok to take all of our vitamins at once?

I was wondering if we could take all of our vitamins at one time, and why or why not. I have a hard time remembering to take my vitamins throughout the day, and was hoping I could take them all at one time.I also have a really hard time taking pills, they seem to get stuck and are very painful, anyone else have this problem? Thanks in advance!    — Crissy P. (posted on May 30, 2003)

May 29, 2003
I've always been told they should be spaced throughout the day. Vitalady has a good protocol you can ask her for about when and how much of each you should take. I also bought a Medport pill carrier/alarm. It has compartments, up to 4, to space out your vitamins, and you can set up to 4 alarm times. I find it makes the whole thing easy. They're about $20.00 at drug stores and Kroger stores.
   — scottiemaam O.

May 30, 2003
I was told that you can't take the multi and the calcium together because the iron in the multi competes for absorption with the calcium, so you'd only absorb one or the other. I was also told to spread mine out during the day, just for better "coverage". I take one Flinstones at 8:00, a calcium at 11:00, another Flintstones at 5:00 with a sublingual B-12, and the last calcium at 8:00.
   — [Deactivated Member]

May 30, 2003
hiya! no you don't want to take all your pills together. the calcium & iron will bind together and neither will be absorbed though chances are the iron in your vitamin is ferrous sulfate which will not be absorbed post wls anyway and most likely the calcium in your vitamin is calcium carbonate which also won't be absorbed. you want to break your calcium (should be citrate not carbonate) up into at least 3 doses, depending on how much you take. your body won't absorb more than 500 mg at one time. for iron, if your doc doesn't have you on a prescribed iron, than otc ferrous fumarate is the next best option. when you take your iron, take it with a vitamin c or some juice for better absorption. i take trinsicon, a prescription, that has ferrous fumarate, vitamin c, b-12, folic acid and intrinsic factor (something our bodies don't make anymore with the roux-en-y) for vitamins, i take an adult chewable centrum. also, do not take calcium when you take protein because the protin will fill the receptor sites in your intestine, thus blocking the absorption of calcium. is your head spinning yet? :D so i take my calcium at 5am, 3pm, 6pm and 9pm (i take 2000mg) i take my iron at noon i take my b-12 at 6am i take my vitamin at 2 or 7.... takes awhile to get the hang of it all. the best types of meds post are are liquid, powdered, chewable, gel-caps then pills because of the dissolution problems. (no stomach acid to dissolve pills) i use a liquid calcium, Bluebonnet brand, blueberry flavored and it is good. definetely better than those big horse pills by citrical. my iron supplement is a capsule and not big. the vitamin is chewable. my b-12 is a sublingual tab that dissolves. i hope this helps some {{hugs}} kate
   — jkb

May 31, 2003
This bears repeating. Funny it didn't show up here on my original posting. Wonder if this time it makes it?? hmmm PLEASE don't tell the ones that are taking, on advice of their surgeons, calcium carbonate or iron sulfate that they are NOT being absorbed. I am living proof this is just not the case. You can give your experiences and these are appreciated. But to make a big acclaim that the vitamins some of us were told to use by our doctors, are worthless...well, that's just not right. You could be sending someone into a state of panic.
   — Ginger M.